The Life of Alice Roberta Hills
" I was born February 11, 1930 at home, North Main St, Canton, Fulton County, Illinois. My home and birthplace was one and a half miles north of town.
My parents, Robert and Margaret Rogers Sarginson White, were immigrants to this country; coming from Edinburg, Scotland, and Lancashire, England. Mother was born on the estate of Sir William E. Gladstone. She came to this country in 1888 at the age of seventeen. My father came in search of a better life. He was a coal miner and Illinois was "mining country". He came in search of work and found my mother as well. I was their sixth and last child, born when mother was forty-eight years of age.
By the time I was in seventh grade I was in first clarinet section. My sister Evelyn and I were the only ones who had musical talent. I also enjoyed being in chorus after I entered High School.
I met my future husband, John Crone Hills, while in high school. We had several classes together. I will admit it was I who noticed him first. He was blonde haired and blue eyed and I thought he was very handsome. One Saturday night we both attended a square dance and he asked me to dance! In fact, he danced with me several times that night. This was my first square dance but definitely not my last! We started dating my second year of High School. We had public speaking class together that year which helped throw us together. Friday night dates always were spent at square dances.
In February 1949 John and I became engaged on Valentine's Day. I made my own graduation dress and also wore it for my wedding. The summer of 1949 I graduated from high school on June 2nd and I married John on June 10th. My mother passed away on July 25th. It was indeed a summer of change for me.
Our first child, Margaret (Margie), was born in July 1950. We decided to purchase a small trailer so we drove to St. Louis in October and found a 23FT trailer with one bedroom. We lived in it until November 1952 when we discovered we were to have an addition to our family. We moved to Illiopolis, IL in November 1952 and lived there for 24 years. Our second child was another daughter, Janet. Janet was born June 1953. The summer of 1953 was very hot and dry. There were reports of frying an egg on the highway. Our third child was our son, Robert. Robert was born August 1959. At birth he was delivered by emergency c-section and weighed 11LBS. The girls really enjoyed having a little brother to play with. It was like playing house for them. Shortly before he was born we had purchased a volkswagon. I thought we looked funny whenever all five of us piled into that little car plus towing a 14FT run about boat.
Our first boat was built from a kit we had purchased from Sears. It took a lot of effort and patience but we finally finished it in time for decoration weekend. This is when I learned to ski. John and I took part in ski tournaments held by our boat club. They were fun years. All our children learned to ski. Boating and camping became our summer past time.
Four years later we had another daughter, Lori. Lori was born in 1963. She was so small that we could dress her in Thumbilina doll clothes. She was the smallest of the kids.
In the Spring of 1966 we purchased an old school bus from Pleasant Plains School District. We removed all the seats and made two sets of bunk beds in the back, built kitchen cabinets in the middle, with a couch and dinette in the front of the bus. That July we took a trip to Chicago. In the Spring of 1968 we sold it and bought another bus. This time we really did a much better job. We had learned where we really wanted things to be. This year we took two trips. One to Branson, MO and one to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. In 1970 we went to Kentucky. This was our last vacation trip in the bus. It was sold right after we bought a cabin up by Bath, IL. In 1970 we leased a lot at Patterson Bay located just two mile south of Bath.
In 1975 John wanted to move closer to work in Springfield. Since both of our older daughters had already graduated from school in Illiopolis. So we did, in May we found a place we liked in Williamsville, IL which was located 8 miles north of Springfield. Our two youngest children completed their education here in Williamsville.
After Lori graduated in June 1979 and married the following February, they moved to Springfield. Our son Rob was the last to leave the nest. I was lost after they all left! It takes time to adjust going from a family of size to that of only two. In August 1989 Rob married his true love Jill.
I became the secretary for our Hills family reunion in 1965. This was when I became consumed by the urge to learn about our family's history. In the early 1980's I turned to crafting. Making dolls of all kinds. Later I started on wooden items. Finally I started cutting and painting miniatures of all kind. Everything was a challenge. I cut items down to 1/2" size. I had to think small...it was fun to see how small I could cut the miniatures. My eye sight began to get poorer so I decided it was time to quit while I still had all my fingers!
John always told me I'd been spoiled and I realize now that I was. Life is indeed full of many changes. I am at this time approaching my 79th birthday and in many ways dreading the changes that may yet in the future come. John and I are both in poor health and I realize with each passing day this could be the last day of our life together. I pray each night please God give us the strength to accept what is to come. I am the last living child of my parents family, in due time we shall once again be together. I do wonder if they miss me as much as I miss all of them. "
Alice went to Heaven on July 31, 2014 to be with her family that has passed.
Alice Roberta Hills - Online Memorial Website
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Memorial Website - Alice Roberta Hills
Alice Hills
Born in Illinois
84 years
12398
Life story
2009